Martin Crowson looks back at five key points from the weekend.

1 I was totally against Saracens and Exeter holding a minute's silence in honour of Margaret Thatcher at the weekend. Not in any political sense whatsoever. But, for me, politics and sport are a dangerous mix. If you honour Thatcher's life, where does the buck stop? If you are against Thatcher's policies yet are forced to observe a minute's silence, you can hardly start booing, can you? There is a time and place for respect to be shown to political figures, and a sports event is certainly not that place.

2 Jordan Crane's man of the match award against Wasps on Sunday represented a lot more than a glass of bubbly in the off-season. The 26-year-old has shown tremendous grit and determination to overcome a horrendous knee injury and return to some of the best form of his career. He brings true leadership to the pitch and the changing room.

3 There will be plenty of people at Sixways thanking the lord that London Welsh had five points docked for administrative irregularities. Worcester are on a serious downward spiral that has resulted in them tasting victory in the Aviva Premiership just once since Christmas, and are now just three points off 11th-placed London Irish.

4 Mat Tait's performances during the past few weeks have not only done his chances of a place on the England tour this summer no harm, they have also done Leicester Tigers a massive favour. With suggestions that Geordan Murphy may retire at the end of the season, Tigers have a top-class replacement in Tait, who has been nothing short of sensational.

5 So London Welsh's time in the Premiership has finally come to an end. Off the field, rows about funding and the deduction of points have dominated proceedings. On the pitch, their star-free side knuckled down and never stopped believing. Most pundits, myself included, expected them to be down by Christmas. We totally underestimated their spirit and ability.

With the countdown ticking to the biggest horticultural event of the year, some gardeners are wondering if their plants will be ready in time.

The Chelsea Flower Show takes place from May 21 to 25.

After the long, cold winter, many growers are now keeping their fingers crossed in the hope nature can help their plants catch up.

Linda Smith, of Waterside Nursery, in Sharnford, is going for her third gold medal this year, with a display including a tank with 800 gallons of water.

However, she is worried about the size of her plants.

"We sell pond plants and the ice has meant a lot of the plants aren't as high as they should be at this time of year," she said.

"Things that should be eight inches are only two or three.

"It will affect other people at the show but we will have to work with what we have.

"Some of the bigger nurseries have more heaters and lights."

Chris Tivey, of Philip Tivey & Son, in Syston, sells alstroemerias and expects to be buying in more foreign imports for the show following the UK's extended winter.

He said: "I'll be exhibiting the plants I've grown but there will also be cut flowers in the display.

"Usually, I can use some of my own, as alstroemerias come into flower at the end of May. However, this year the weather has changed everything and it's going to be better just to get some in from abroad.

"Chelsea is really good for us. Each year, more people find out about us. We have a bigger range of alstroemerias than most garden centres.

"My father started the company in the 1950s and we've been going to Chelsea since 1985."

For some growers, however, Chelsea is all about the occasion.

Marilyn Berrington, who runs Oska Copperfield Nursery, in Rothley, with her husband, Barry, said: "We go to Chelsea to take part and it's not really about business so much as the experience. It's a day out and if you're a plant lover it's nice to go."

She said the cold weather had meant a lot of hard work.

"We have to keep covering plants up every five minutes and some are a month or so behind.

"There are problems all round with the weather but we'll have flowers from Africa and Holland to take to the show."

A spokeswoman for the Royal Horticultural Society said most growers were optimistic their plants would be ready in time and visitors to the show, in London, would get to enjoy a few plants that would normally be over by late May.

She said: "People are having to keep things in greenhouses and tunnels for longer but they don't think the weather will be an issue.

"This also means things which would normally have passed by Chelsea will be flowering."

The principal of Leicester's first free school has left after less than two years in the post.

Christopher Spall took up the job at Krishna Avanti Primary, in Spencefield Lane, Evington, when the school was launched in September 2011.

Occupying part of the former Leicester Grammar Junior site, the school has a Hindu ethos, but takes youngsters from all faiths.

The appointment of Mr Spall, a Christian, was seen as evidence of the school's commitment to welcoming everyone, regardless of religious background. He had been head teacher at an international primary school in Kuwait and taught in Basildon and at Loretto, a school in Scotland.

The Mercury was unable to contact Mr Spall, but chairman of governors, Pradip Gajjar, said he had left for personal reasons.

He said: "We are very grateful for the time he has been able to give to us, helping to launch the school and seeing it through to its successful second year. We were very thankful for his leadership."

Mr Spall left his post at Easter, following an official opening of the school by Education Secretary Michael Gove. Interim head, Sally Hughes, has now taken over.

Mr Gajjar said: "Sally has extensive headship experience and has delivered outstanding results. Parents were informed quickly.

"We are now looking for someone to fill this as a permanent role."

Krishna Avanti Primary was set up by The I-Foundation, which runs a school in Harrow, North London, using capital funding from the Government.

Free schools can be set up by charities, universities, businesses, teachers and parents and can set their own curriculum. However, Krishna Avanti follows the national curriculum.

An advert for the head teacher role placed by the school in the Times Education Supplement states: "The role will entail leading the school to outstanding and beyond. This is a unique opportunity to help lay the foundations of a growing and innovative school."

For more information, call Mr Gajjar on 07812 586790.

www.krishna- avanti-leicester.org.uk

Park users have condemned an arson attack on a much-loved Victorian bandstand.

The Friends of Western Park had recently been granted £500 to restore the structure, which stands in Western Park, Hinckley Road, Leicester.

Members had planned to repaint the bandstand in preparation for a summer festival where musicians would use it.

However, arsonists set fire to pile of timber, which was sitting in the middle of the bandstand, in the early hours of Saturday.

Group member Christine Holton said: "It's lucky we hadn't already carried out the work.

"It's such a shame that someone would want to target such a beautiful park.

"If they want to start a bonfire they should do it in their own gardens."

Firefighters who tackled the blaze, at 12.30am, had to cut away pieces of the bandstand in order to confirm the flames were out.

The structure was damaged by fire and smoke. The damage is being assessed by the property services team at Leicester City Council.

Ward councillor Susan Barton said the damage was "not too bad".

"It's still structurally sound," she said.

"There's some charring and some slight fire and smoke damage."

Coun Barton said she thought youths were unlikely to be to blame for the fire, given the time it happened.

"It's more likely to be people on the way home from the pub," she said.

It is one of a small number of arson attacks which have taken place in the area recently.

Barry Ingram, senior parks officer for Leicester City Council, which maintains the site, said: "There were some grass verges nearby which someone set fire to, so there's a pattern of arson."

After putting his daughter to bed at night, armchair blogger Eliot Higgins works into the early hours studying videos of Syrian weapons.

The 34-year-old spends his evenings researching and writing the Brown Moses blog – a site which analyses internet clips of Syrian attacks, weapons and even assassinations.

However, his hobby recently took a more serious slant after his analysis of a Croatian weapons cache made international news.

Earlier this month, Eliot, of South Wigston, found evidence of Croatian weaponry which had fallen into the hands of Islamist fighters.

Following the discovery, the unemployed former media studies student has featured in articles in the New York Times, the Guardian and on CNN and the BBC.

Now, he is planning on making his blog a full-time venture – and says he has even turned down an intelligence analyst role to continue writing.

Eliot said: "I was all ready to take up the new job with a private firm, but the contract said I had to give up the blog.

"I tweeted that I was giving it up and I got a lot of reaction from people saying I needed to keep it going – I've been getting a lot of publicity, so there are a lot of people interested in what I do."

The father-of-one has received a £5,000 donation, which he says is from an anonymous source, and needs to double it in order to take on the blogging role full-time.

"Publicity is not difficult – it's the fund-raising and getting people to donate which is going to be hard," he said.

Eliot has calculated he needs another £5,500 to fund the blog for six months.

"There's tons of stuff which I miss due to the sheer volume of videos, so I need to put in as much time as I can," he said.

He is planning to set up an webpage where people can donate cash to fund the project.

Last month, he had 80,000 hits on his site. In a bid to increase his visitor numbers further, he is hoping to translate his posts into Arabic.

"I've been getting a lot of interest from places such as Saudi Arabia," he said. "I've got a translator, but some terms are quite technical, so it's not as easy as just rewriting it. I've also been contacted by a literary agent who said they want me to write a book about my blog."

www.brown-moses. blogspot.com

A mother accused of stabbing her boyfriend 24 times has told a murder trial jury she heard voices in her head moments before she attacked him.

Michelle Mills told the jury at Lincoln Crown Court she heard a "bad voice" in one ear telling her she had to get away from her partner Eddie Miller, while at the same time a "good voice" in her other ear was telling her to stay with him.

She said: "Before I stabbed him, a voice was saying, 'Just do it, just do it'."

Mills, who dabbed tears from her eyes several times while giving evidence from the witness box, said the voices continued to talk to her while she was dialling 999.

She told the jury the "good" and "bad" voices argued with each other.

"Afterwards, I remember a voice saying, 'job well done', and then another one saying I was a stupid girl."

Mills told the jury after an evening out at a bonfire night party at a pub, she and 20-year-old Mr Miller returned to their cottage in King Street, Scalford, near Melton, and argued.

She said she drank about half a bottle of wine, while Mr Miller drank wine and three cans of beer.

She discovered cannabis belonging to Mr Miller in a kitchen cupboard which made her angry, she said, telling the jury they had both previously agreed not to bring drugs into the house.

Mills said the cannabis was taken outside but when Mr Miller returned he pushed her on to the sofa, then sat on top of her.

She said: "He headbutted me. I was thinking I was going to get it. I was frightened. He was angry.

"I managed to get away from him and I went straight to the kitchen. I just wanted to get away from him.

"I have no memory of picking up the knife but I remember using it to stab Eddie.

"He was drinking wine out of the bottle. As I walked back into the living room he came towards me. I thought he was going to attack me.

"I stabbed him because I thought he was going to kill me. I stabbed him a second time in the stomach."

Mills said she had no recollection of how Mr Miller came to have the other 22 knife wounds. Her barrister, Peter Lodder QC, asked her: "Did you want to hurt him?"

Mills replied: "Yes."

Mr Lodder then asked: "Did you want to kill him?"

Mills responded: "No."

Mills said she told a psychiatrist about the voices in her head during an examination last week, but had not mentioned them during examinations by three previous doctors.

She told the jury she had previously had visions of being kidnapped by aliens and of seeing the devil.

"There's an alien thing where I think I've been abducted by an alien craft," she said.

"That was about 18 months ago. It happened about four times. That was when I was living in Lake Terrace, in Melton.

"I was with Eddie. I got woken up by the house shaking. I went downstairs into the living room. I just get taken up through the sky and through the roof. They have like owl faces.

"They just make a buzzing noise. They didn't talk to me. I just remember being brought back.

"I think there is some kind of probe or transmitter in my side. You can't see it but I can feel it. I haven't told anyone about it.

"I won't sleep in a room with two beds. I've been like that since I was 12. When there are two beds in the room I wake up and see the devil in the bed alongside me."

Mills (31), of King Street, Scalford, denies murder on November 6. The jury has been told that she admits she was responsible for his death.

The trial continues.

The children's heart surgery unit at Glenfield Hospital – which is set to be axed in an NHS shake-up – has the second-lowest death rate in the country, figures have revealed.

The data has prompted campaigners to call for the decision to shut the unit to be overturned.

The figures, which cover every children's heart centre in the country, were not taken into account by the NHS panel which decided Glenfield and three other heart centres should close as part of a review called Safe and Sustainable.

However, it has emerged the figures will now be taken into account by the independent experts looking into the panel's controversial decision.

The move has been welcomed by campaigners and politicians fighting to keep the Leicester centre open.

Leicester West MP Liz Kendall has written to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt asking him to overturn the decision to close the Glenfield unit.

Ms Kendall, who, along with campaigners, has been pressing the Government to release information on death rates, said: "This new information proves what we have been saying for months.

"The children's heart surgery unit at Glenfield provides excellent standards of care.

"It beggars belief the unit is earmarked for closure when it has the second-lowest death rate of any of the services in the country.

"The Government must now overturn the decision."

In the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Hunt confirmed the figures would be considered by the group of independent experts, called the Independent Reconfiguration Panel.

The information on death rates in the children's heart centres was published on Friday by NHS England following the temporary suspension of heart surgery at Leeds General Infirmary, another of the centres earmarked for closure.

Five patients due to have surgery in Leeds were transferred to Glenfield Hospital.

Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan said: "At last, the message is getting through.

"It is important people know how good Glenfield is."

Eric Charlesworth, of former health watchdogs the Leicester and the Leicestershire Local Involvement Networks, said: "It is good news this data has been published.

"We have been asking for this for quite a while. The information underlines statements from Glenfield Hospital about how good it is."

Robyn Lotto, who has been campaigning for Glenfield, said: "Although there are a lot of caveats in comparing outcomes, the data looks really good for Glenfield."

Adam Tansey, from Burbage, whose son Albert was born with half a heart, founded the charity Keep the Beat, which has been campaigning to keep children's heart services at Glenfield.

He said: "I cannot understand why this data wasn't originally considered."

Tonight's clash against in-form Bolton is a must-win fixture, admitted Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson.

City sit two points off the play-offs with just four games remaining.

They face a Trotters side who have leapfrogged them into the top six after a run of eight wins from their last 10 games.

Their form is in stark contrast to City's dismal run of one win from their last 13, and Pearson's men are without a win in their last nine.

Victory could see City return to the play-off spots, but defeat would see them slip at least four points off the top six with just three games remaining.

"It is a massive game for us," said Pearson. "They are on a very good run of form and we are not, but it is a game we can win and will do everything we can to win.

"The form book goes out the window because it is a game we have to win. The pressures are different on the two sides. The pathways to getting the points we have got have been totally different. But the bottom line is we are in a very similar position."

The pressure will be intense at the King Power Stadium tonight (7.45) with so much riding on the outcome for both sides.

Pearson insists his players will be able to cope, although he said he would check on their mental rather than physical state before picking his team after recent body blows, such as Birmingham City's last-minute equaliser on Friday night.

"We recognise the situation we are in but we have to go out there and still perform," he said.

"I think there is enough pressure on the players to go out and get the performance and result right anyway without ramping it up to a point where there is too much pressure. Ultimately you have to be able to go out there and play in a way which negates all that external pressure.

"I felt for the players on Friday night because we dealt with the situation but shot ourselves in the foot at the end.

"We were positive from the outset, even when we conceded the first equaliser. I felt we responded positively.

"I was pleased with how the players dealt with the evening.

"It was a massive kick in the teeth to concede at the end but we have to bounce back and there is no point dwelling on that now.

"We have to get back to winning ways and minimalise the unforced errors.

"We have tried many different things and they haven't worked the way we would have liked, but we remain upbeat because we can rectify it.

"With four games to go there is still an awful lot to play for.

"Unfortunately, at the moment, things aren't working how we would like them to but I have a lot of belief in my players and my staff to turn this around."

City have no fresh injury worries ahead of tonight's game.

A man who doused two young friends in petrol and set them alight as they sat drinking in a pub beer garden will be detained indefinitely in a mental health unit.

Mitchell Dean was sentenced yesterday for the notorious attack on Russell Banks and Robert Laszewsk in the Rainbow and Dove, Charles Street, Leicester city centre, in October 2011.

Basildon Crown Court heard yesterday that Dean (22) was on the run from police for a similarly horrific crime in Essex at the time.

The court also heard Dean suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and was obsessed with demons, witchcraft and setting fires.

Dean doused Russell, 22, and Robert, 21, with petrol and set them both alight as they were sitting with friends in the early hours of Tuesday, October 25, 2011.

Russell spent six weeks in a specialist burns unit in a Nottingham hospital, most of it under sedation, and has had a series of skin grafts. He is still undergoing treatment for the injuries to his face, arms and hands.

Robert's injuries, to his arms and face, were less serious and he was discharged from hospital a week after the incident.

Dean had pleaded guilty to two counts of grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing in relation to the attacks on Russell and Robert.

After yesterday's hearing, Russell's family said in a statement: "We're pleased this troubling time for our family has finally come to an end.

"However, when we think of the years of recovery Russell has ahead, we cannot help but feel any sentence would have been insufficient to give back what's been taken from us. But at least we can get some closure at this point.

"We would like to thank Leicestershire Police for their unending support and hard work helping to bring this man to justice."

Robert, who thanked police, his family and staff at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre, said: "We are not victims, we are survivors.

"I wish everyone a safe journey through this world, because no-one should ever go through hell while being alive."

Detective Inspector Simon Preston led the investigation. He said: "This has truly been one of the most horrific cases I have dealt with. Dean had no regard for the consequences of his actions and we're pleased he pleaded guilty and saved the victims the ordeal of having to relive the events of October 2011.

"Russell and Robert have been extremely brave throughout and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them for their co-operation.

"I hope the verdict and sentence helps them move on with their lives."

Dean was also sentenced under the Mental Health Act yesterday for an offence in Essex six days before the Rainbow and Dove attack.

Knowing the male victim of that attack, who had reportedly spurned Dean's sexual advances, was seriously injured, Dean ran away and ended up in Nottingham, where he had previously studied.

He travelled by taxi to Leicester, specifically asking to be taken to the Rainbow and Dove – an established part of the city's gay scene.

However, the court did not find evidence that in either case Dean had been motivated by homophobia.

Leicestershire Police's hate crime officer, Darren Goddard, said: "While there is no evidence to suggest this was a homophobic hate crime, the impact this has had on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people was immense.

"Hopefully, this conviction will help to reassure people that Leicestershire Police do take all crime seriously."

Sentencing Dean, Judge David Owen-Jones said: "The physical and psychological effect on these young men has been enormous.

"Their lives have been shattered at a very young age. They were three men who had so much to look forward to in life.

"Their courage and determination in facing the difficulties that have happened to them is remarkable and, if I may say so, inspirational."

Exciting young striker Jeff Schlupp will become a great asset to Leicester City, manager Nigel Pearson believes.

The 20-year-old Ghana international, who has risen through the club's youth ranks, has spearheaded the City attack in the last two games.

He has scored twice in their last five fixtures – the only striker to score in the last nine matches.

Schlupp, who has also played at left-back and in midfield this season, spent several weeks training with Manchester United during the campaign.

He is expected to start again tonight when City take on Bolton at the King Power Stadium and Pearson said Schlupp would be a handful for any defence.

"Jeff has had an interesting season regardless of whatever happens in the club's season," said Pearson.

"For him as an individual and him as a young player who is developing at our club, it has been a good year for him.

"He has had some really good experiences. He has played in various positions and currently he is in a position he probably sees as his long-term position.

"As a manager, it is nice to have versatile players.

"There is no doubt Jeff has attributes which make him a handful to play against.

"I am very pleased we have kept faith in his development and he is a really bright prospect for the club. He is enjoying his football."

Pearson admits his side probably have to treat each of their final four league games as a cup tie, and that means having plenty of attacking players on the pitch.

Schlupp featured in a three-man attack along with Chris Wood and David Nugent during Friday night's 2-2 draw with Birmingham City, and Pearson said his side have to take the initiative over the final four games.

"That is what we have been trying to do," said Pearson.

"Unfortunately, it hasn't borne enough fruit.

"We have to do everything we can to win our last four games because we can still make inroads.

"We took a calculated risk (against Birmingham) in not always tracking back on their full-backs and created a number of chances from that.

"I thought it was important that we had as many players on the pitch who are capable of scoring goals."

Nearly 350 youngsters in the city and county will miss out on their preferred primary schools this year.

Anxious parents have been waiting to find out which school their four and five-year-olds will be allocated this September.

Parents of children applying to city schools were due to find out yesterday, while those living in the county should receive letters advising them of their place today.

Figures released by both the city and county councils show that in Leicester, out of 4,148 applications, some 135 parents have not been given any of their top three schools – 3.3 per cent.

In Leicestershire, out of 6,852 applications, 212 – 3.1 per cent – have not received a place of their choice.

However, the majority of parents, just over 96 per cent in each local authority, have received one of their three preferred schools.

Councillor Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor responsible for children, young people and schools, said: "I'm really pleased the number of applicants being offered their preferred school has increased, particularly as the overall number of applications has risen."

Parents will be advised of their right to appeal a school place if they are unhappy with their allocation.

The city council is facing a shortage of primary places in the city because of a rising birth rate, new arrivals to Leicester, and more residents expected to choose local schools over those in the county as results continue to improve.

Education bosses believe fewer people will send their children to independent schools due to cost.

It is set to spend £15 million creating extra classrooms across 17 schools to meet the extra demand for 2015.

The most popular school in Leicester was Montrose Primary, in Aylestone, which received 227 applications for the 60 places which were available for September.

A growing number of rape victims are overcoming their mistrust or fear of the police and courts and reporting the crimes committed against them, police believe.

Leicestershire Police last week reported that overall recorded crime in the city and county has fallen steeply in the past year.

However, the end-of-year figures also showed an 11 per cent increase in serious sexual assault, including rape.

In the 12 months between April last year and the end of March, the force recorded 742 attacks – compared to 666 in the previous year.

The detective who runs Leicestershire Police's Signal Unit, which investigates serious sexual offences while also supporting victims, believes the rise is down to an increased confidence among victims.

However, Detective Inspector Reme Gibson said some victims are still suffering in silence.

Det Insp Gibson said: "I am confident that the increase of sexual offences is due to an increased reporting and greater confidence in police, the courts and the many partner agencies we now work with – not because our streets are any less safe.

"There were many factors which have historically led victims of such violent sexual crime not to report and among those factors were embarrassment, fear of the court process, stereotypes of how victims are treated and accounts not being believed.

"We have worked hard as a service to ensure we have listened to the views of victims of serious sexual crime in order that we can make any future contact by that victim or others better.

"We now deal with instances of sexual crime holistically.

"We have a rape investigation unit called Signal that deals with both those reporting the crimes and the suspects.

"Having an investigation led from its early stages through to court by one dedicated team ensures that an experienced group of detectives are fully aware of the investigation, can keep the victim updated better and provide the appropriate support and advice."

Rajo Saira, manager of Leicester Rape Crisis, said: "We believe there is an increased awareness

"However, it remains the case that we are still only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

"A lot of good work by the police, the courts and others has given people the confidence to come forward, but there is still a long way to go."